A New Hope (16 page)

“I did,” she said. “I wanted you to be happy my way. I have a little issue with that being-right thing. But I didn’t know you knew so much about yourself. About Ted. About rocky situations. About working through things with an amazing woman. About looking for love in all the wrong places. I just thought...”

“That I was a big dumb lummox.”

“Well...”

“Save it,” he said. And he waited while she mopped her eyes and blew her nose. He tried keeping a scowl on his face while she sniveled. He crossed his arms stubbornly over his chest. It was all an act. He wanted to hug her.

“Really,” she said with a sniff. “Nothing could make me happier than to think of you in a healthy relationship with a nice woman like Ginger.”

“All evidence to the contrary,” he said.

“If I say sorry can that be the end of it?”

“I don’t know, Peyton,” he said. “Can you mind your own business?”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “You might want to go a little easy on me.”

“That’s the price of forgiveness,” he said. “Your word. Then you stand by it and mind your own business.”

“All right,” she said irritably. “I can’t believe you made me cry.”

“Those were fetal tears and you know it. I can’t remember when you’ve ever cried over one of us boys.”

“I might cry a little easier these days,” she relented. “So. You’re going to be around awhile?”

“I’m going to leave for the farm Sunday night. We might bump into each other but let’s be clear, I’m here to be with Ginger. I need to spend time with her.”

“All
right
, jeez.”

He softened. He smiled warmly. “Maybe next week or the week after we can get together.”

“Well, don’t go to any trouble,” she shot back.

“So. We understand each other?” he asked.

“We understand each other,
mutiko
,” she said, meaning
little boy
.

That made him frown. “Don’t push it,” he warned. “I have things to do.” He stood to leave. After taking a couple of steps toward the door he turned back to her. He put a small kiss on her forehead. He hugged her gently. “Behave,” he warned.

Thirteen

G
race had never wished illness on her mother but it was true that the relationship she had with her now was better than ever. Their routine was calming. When Grace rose in the morning she would go upstairs to Winnie’s room. She would usually knock softly, not just to be sure Winnie was awake but also to be certain she wouldn’t wake or disturb Mikhail, who never admitted to spending nights in the chair beside Winnie’s bed. Grace would go into her mother’s room to find Winnie sitting up, wearing her favorite bed jacket. This particular morning she’d seen Mikhail out on the deck with coffee.

Winnie’s trembling had worsened and she could no longer fluff her hair or paint on her rose-colored lips—two things she hated to be seen without accomplishing. Grace actually enjoyed helping her mother with these small tasks. It made her feel useful, indispensable even.

“Time for that silly wench from the town to come out and give us a fix-up,” Winnie said of the local hairdresser who had obliged them by making regular house calls.

“As long as you promise not to call her
that silly wench
,” Grace said with a laugh.

“I know better than that, for God’s sake. It’s like insulting the chef—he might spit in the soup.”

“You could end up with red hair. Or bald,” Grace pointed out. “Would you like to have your tea on the deck?”

“Only if I don’t look like the wrath of God,” Winnie said. “First the ladies’ room, please.”

“The fog hasn’t lifted, but the sun is over the mountains already. You can watch it rise and chase the fog out to sea,” Grace told her. “You’ll need your shawl. Troy and Mikhail are already out there with their coffee. It’s a lovely, dewy morning.”

Winnie didn’t say so often but she liked this place. It was like a vacation, like a chilly and wintry Cabo San Lucas. When she was on the deck, which was a couple of times a day in good weather, there were regular visitors. Sarah Cooper liked to have a morning run with her Great Dane, Ham, and she would stop by some mornings to say hello to Winnie, leaving the dog at the foot of the stairs. Seth Sileski, on the other hand, enjoyed an early-evening jog and would then meet friends at Cooper’s, but he’d frequently stop by for a little report on the town first. Winnie really enjoyed the local news from Seth even if she didn’t know half the people. Grace liked a walk on the beach now and then and she always walked to and from the flower shop if it wasn’t raining. Dr. Grant took his little ones fishing off the dock sometimes and he used that opportunity to ask after Winnie’s health, and their next-door neighbors—the Lawsons—checked in frequently if they saw Winnie enjoying the sunshine.

This was actually new for Winnie—friends and neighbors who weren’t intimidated by her, who cared if she was well or ill.

Mikhail was often about, but he had his own routines. He now donned board shorts that were extralong on his short body, a hat, white socks in his brown German walking shoes. He walked on and off all day long. He went into town, had a meal at the diner almost every day, visited with Waylan at his bar, sometimes helped Grace and Ginger pull in their sidewalk displays at closing time. Even though he didn’t drive he made regular visits to the service station having struck up friendships with the owner, Eric, and his right-hand man, Al. These days he talked a lot about buying a car. And weirdly unsurprisingly, he had many female fans who honked their horns and waved as they drove by. He frequently walked out of town to the nearest farm stand and brought home fresh vegetables. Grace said he must log twenty miles some days.

As July warmed the beach there was a new development that warmed Grace’s heart. She waved to a couple on the beach, and Winnie said, “Who is it, Grace?”

“Ginger and Matt. Holding hands and strolling.” She sighed. “They’re in love and together every weekend.”

“Do I know this Matt?”

“I don’t think so, Mother. We could have them to dinner some weekend if you like. He’s very nice. He’s a farmer from north of here—the Portland area.”

“A farmer? That sounds tedious.”

Grace laughed. “It’s Peyton’s brother. They’re not very showy people but that farm is enormous and very successful. Peyton tells me Matt is a scientist with an advanced degree, science applied to farming. He’s very smart.”

As the couple stopped on the beach and kissed, Winnie made a sound. “Well, there’s what your generation calls something...public displays of something.”

“Is called PDA,” Mikhail informed her. “Public displays of affection, Babushka. Something you have never been accused of.”

Winnie leaned toward him. “I’m not agile and I’m not strong anymore, but if you call me that again I’m going to hurt you.”

That made Mikhail grin. “Is adorable name for you, my dove. Is sweet Russian name for grandmother.”

“I’d rather be a dove than a sweet Russian grandmother.”

The sound of the front door opening and closing announced the arrival of Winnie’s nurse. She yelled, “Good morning,” from the foyer. Then she migrated to the deck. “How is everyone this morning?”

“Very well,” Winnie said. “All things considered. Now, Grace, who is that boy down there by the dock?”

“I don’t think I know him, Mama. A kid from town, no doubt.”

“That’s my son, Charlie,” Lin Su said. “I’ve brought him to the beach before. Don’t worry, he’s just going to hang out while I’m with you.”

“Can’t we meet him?” Grace asked.

“I didn’t want to bring him to work, exactly. But I don’t want him to sit in front of the computer or TV all summer while he’s out of school. So on nice days I bring him along, and he gets some fresh air.”

“No, you shouldn’t allow all that TV and computer nonsense,” Winnie said. “He’ll go blind and his brain will rot. But what will he do? Sit there all day?”

“He has the run of the town. If he makes the slightest effort, he could actually meet people.”

“Oh, Lin Su, you shouldn’t let a child that young loose all day without your supervision.”

“He’s not as young as he looks,” she said. “He’s fourteen, just kind of small for his age. And when he was little he had health problems—I suppose he’s still catching up. He won’t be any trouble for you, I promise. He has money for lunch. And sunscreen and stuff in the car, like his laptop, which he can only use for an hour or two. And we have our cell phones for texting so we can keep tabs on each other.”

Winnie turned and looked up at Lin Su. “I want you to go down there and tell him he’s welcome here anytime as long as he’s not too wild or loud because sometimes I have to rest or I’m useless. Tell him you’ll make him lunch here—there’s an abundance of food, and Troy keeps buying more. He can even watch TV, just not all day—he needs air and sunshine.”

“That’s very sweet, Winnie, but—”

“I’m done talking about it. Be a good little nurse and go talk to your son.”

Lin Su turned desperate eyes to Grace. “We don’t want to be any trouble... This is my job. I’ll leave him home if—”

“You don’t have to leave him home if he’s no trouble,” Winnie said. “I didn’t know you had a son. You never mentioned it.”

“Lin Su, you must have been pretty young. You don’t look much over thirty yourself,” Grace said. “Oh, I’m sorry—that was rude. I didn’t mean to pry!”

“Maybe I’m catching up, too,” she said. “I’m not married. We make a pretty good team, me and Charlie. And now that he doesn’t need babysitting or after-school programs, we do very well. But Charlie is kind of shy...”

“My specialty,” Troy said, jumping up from his spot on the deck. “I’ll go invite him up.”

“Oh, Troy,” Lin Su said, embarrassed.

“Let him,” Grace said. “Troy needs a playmate.”

“As do I,” Mikhail said, rising a bit more slowly to follow.

Grace looked at Lin Su’s almost pleading expression and laughed. “Try not to worry, Lin Su. We’re not exactly a traditional family. Charlie might fit right in. After all, you have.”

* * *

Matt’s world had changed because of Ginger. He was experiencing life in a whole new way, in a way he hadn’t even been smart enough to long for, to hope for. Because the farm was stable, no drought, no damaging storms, no infestations or illnesses, he was sneaking away for at least three nights every week. He drove to Thunder Point on Thursday afternoon and home either Sunday night or Monday morning. Because his eyes were bright and his smile quick, Paco kept telling him to take time while he could.

“Come August, things will be crazy again,” he warned Ginger. “First the grapes—Uncle Sal’s grapes. I could probably get out of it, but I shouldn’t. Those early grapes have to be brought in and we depend on his people when the pears are ready. It’s steady for a couple of months. It’s hard work.”

“I could come to you,” Ginger said. “I could help a little. If you showed me what to do.”

“Peyton will spend a couple of weekends at the farm, she hardly ever misses it. But Grace needs you,” he said.

“Grace and I can job share a little bit. I’m good at running the front of the store and I’m getting better at creating the arrangements. I’ve had days on my own with only delivery help from Justin. I can give her a couple of days off every week if she can give me a couple of days. You don’t care when I come, do you?”

“I just can’t think about not having you next to me for more than a week,” he said. “It’s torture.”

“You might be getting a little spoiled,” she said.

“And you’re not?” he asked, an evil little gleam in his eye.

Matt couldn’t remember ever feeling this way. He was a little embarrassed by that, though he wasn’t sure how he was supposed to know the difference between a good thing and the real thing. There was no question that when he was deciding to marry Natalie his life had seemed good. If she wasn’t having some wedding meltdown or issue with having Sunday dinner with his family, he was feeling pretty damn satisfied.

But Ginger took that to a whole new level. Just being herself, she made him feel like the richest man on earth. He had never before felt this secure with a woman; he never felt even a second of doubt. He’d heard those ridiculous love songs about being willing to die for someone and he always found himself thinking,
I’d be willing to give up a few things—bowling, shaving, driving a truck, cutting my hair. But die for someone? A little extreme...

But here in his arms was a woman he would do anything for. Would he leave the farm for Ginger? He just might, except she wouldn’t ask him to. If he was wrong about her he was going to retire to a mountaintop and live a completely celibate life, but if there was one thing that seemed real it was what Ginger said to him. She liked his farm. She
loved
him. And when someone loves you, they let you know your happiness is paramount to them. He’d never had that before.

They had a few blissful weeks together that brought them to July; long phone conversations at night, long weekends filled with plenty of time in each other’s arms and also enjoyable time with Thunder Point friends. And with his sister.

“I have to admit, I never saw this coming,” Peyton said to him. “My brother, Mad Matt, all soft and cuddly.”

“I told you if you’d just get out of my way, I knew what I was doing,” he said.

“Except, did you? Know what you were doing?”

“Not really, but fortunately Ginger did.”

“Really? And are you a man to be led around by the nose?” Peyton teased.

“Yes. I am.”

There was a moment of doubt and worry in the middle of July when Ginger became a little quiet. It was sudden. He was getting ready to go back to the farm when she seemed very tired, a little down in the dumps. He wasn’t used to seeing her eyes downcast. She wasn’t as talkative on the phone that night or the next night; she didn’t seem to have much to say. She complained of having a headache and being tired.

“I thought I drove away the headaches,” he teased.

“It’s very unusual for me and it’ll pass. Thanks for understanding.”

Of course Matt didn’t understand at all. But he just kept telling her he loved her. He didn’t know what else to do.

* * *

Al Michel climbed the back stairs to Ginger’s little apartment and tapped on the door. When she answered, it was obvious she’d been crying. “Hi,” he said. “Got a minute?”

“Is it important?” she asked.

“It is. I think it’s important. Could I just have a few minutes?”

“Is Ray Anne all right?”

“She’s excellent, but I wanted to talk to you,” Al said. “I won’t take too much of your time.”

“Okay, I guess,” she said, opening the door. “I’m a little under the weather, though.”

“Sure you are, honey,” he said. “Let’s just sit down in there.”

She shrugged and let him follow her to the sofa, where they sat.

“I know what tomorrow is,” Al said.

Immediately, tears began to run down Ginger’s cheeks. “Ray Anne told you,” she murmured.

“Sort of. She told me a long time ago but it’s possible she doesn’t even remember. I remembered. I stopped by the shop late today and you’d already left, not feeling so good, Grace said. And she mentioned you were taking tomorrow off. She didn’t think you were real sick, though.”